Automatic diving toy



Aug. 8, 1939. A. D. ELLSWORTH AUTOMATIC DIVING TOY 2 Sheets-Sheet 1Filed Oct. 17, 1938 3mm Ambs HZ'ZZ sworZ h,

Aug. 8, 1939. A. D. ELLSWORTH AUTOMATIC DIVING TOY Filed Oct. 17, 1938 2Sheets-Sheet 2 3140mm arm Amos .5 ZZsw Patented Aug. 8, 1939 UNITED STATPATENT OFFIQE Application October 1'7,

12 Claims.

My invention relates to the art of nautical toys and it moreparticularly relates to improvement in toy submarine vessels.

An object of the invention is to provide a vessel of a very simple andinexpensive construction, which can be operated automatically to dive tothe bottom and return after a predetermined interval to the surfacebow-first, so as to simulate as nearly as possible the diving and risingactions of a real submarine boat.

Further, it is an object to provide a toy submarine With a contained gasgenerator. in cooperative association with means for shifting the foreand aft balance of the vessel to depress the bow and elevate the sternwhile in the act of diving and then, when the vessel is ready to rise,

" to shift the balance so as to elevate the bow as the vessel begins torise so it may emerge bow first at the surface of the water.

Again, it is an object to provide a power generator in cooperativeassociation with a main and auxiliary tank open at the bottom so thatrelatively high gas pressures within the vessel may be avoided.

Other objects will in part be obvious and in part be pointed outhereinafter.

To the attainment of the aforesaid objects and ends the invention stillfurther resides in the novel details of construction, combination andarrangement of parts, all of which will be first fully described in thefollowing detailed description, and then be particularly pointed out inthe appended claims, reference being had to the accompanying drawings,in which:-

Fig. 1 is a central vertical longitudinal section of a toy submarineembodying the invention.

Fig. 2 is a top plan View of the same.

Fig. 3 is a cross section on the line 3-3 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 4 is a cross section on the line 4-4 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 5 is a cross section on the line 55 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 6 is a diagrammatic view of the tanks and gas generator showingtheir position when the submarine rests on the bottom on an even keel.

Fig. '7 is a view similar to Fig. 6 showing the position of the tankswhen the vessel has just come to the surface but not yet up to the waterline.

Fig. 8 is a View similar to Figs. 6 and 7 showing the position of thetanks when the vessel has emerged to the water line.

Fig. 9 is a view similar to Figs. 6 to 8, showing the position of thetanks when the auxiliary tank has been completely filled with gas toreduce buoyancy of the bow and increase that of the stern.

1938, Serial No. 235,517

Fig. 10 shows the position of the tank while the vessel is going down.

Fig. 11 shows the position of the tanks when the gas has been dischargedfrom the auxiliary tank and the weight of that tank has depressed thestern and brought the vessel to an even keel on the bottom.

In the drawings, in which like numbers and letters of reference indicatelike parts in all the figures, I represents the hull, in whose interior2 is located the main tank 5, the gas generator l3, and the auxiliarytank It.

The hull I is provided with a keel slot 3 from stem to stern in which isadjustably held (in any suitable way) a ballast strip 4.

The main tank 5 comprises a front wall 6, a rear Wall 1, side walls 8,and a forwardly-upwardly inclined top wall or ceiling 9, the rear end ofwhich lies adjacent the water-line level while the front end of the samelies above the water-line level of the hull I.

Save for an opening surrounded by a collar ii! to receive a cork H, themain tank 5 is closed at the top. A member 22, shaped to simulate aconning tower, may be soldered to the top 9 and a post 23 may beprovided, to which post wires 24 may be secured to represent radioantenna, the ends of the wires 24 being anchored fore and aft as at 25.

The cork II is provided with a spring sleeve [2 onto which the upper endof the gas generator I3 is fitted and held by frictional engagement, orin any other suitable Way.

Extending rearwardly from the main tank 5 is the auxiliary tank I6 whichhas a front wall formed by the wall 1 extended, side walls H and arearwardly-downwardly inclined top wall or ceiling [8. The side wallsterminate at the level of the rear edge of the top H8. The bottom oftank l6, like that of tank 5, is open.

An inverted siphon tube effects communication between the two tanks. Thevertical leg IQ of the siphon extends from a point just below the waterline to near the bottom of the tank 5 where it joins the bend 2% towhich the inclined leg is also joined. The open end of leg 20 terminatesbelow the bottom level of tank [6 which, relatively, is considerablyfarther from the water-line level than is the open end of leg [9. Thereason for this structure will shortly appear.

The hull has an opening 26 in its bottom buneath tank 5 to permit freepassage of water into tank 5 and into the cavity of the hull.

. In the drawings the Water line and water level are indicated by WL,and the bottom of the water course is designated B in Fig. 6 et seq.

The tanks 5 and I6 are placed as shown with the center of buoyancy intank 5 and the vessel is trimmed to lie on an even keel (when no gas isbeing generated) by proper placement of ballast 4 in groove 3.

The hull, which is of peculiar shape, should be deep in order to placethe ballast far enough below the center of buoyancy to maintainforeand-aft and lateral trim. It should be short so that the bow can beeasily depressed for realistic bow-first diving. The vessel alwaysoperates in a water-logged condition. The buoyancy of the hull dependson that of the material of which it is made, and since the buoyancy mustbe slight, the hull is made as thin as possible. Wood may be used forthe hull or pressed papier-mach, wood pulp or like material, shellackedand dip-painted, may be employed. The hull may be made in one piece orin sections suitably secured together, as may be desired. The ballast 4may be of Babbitt metal, or any other suitable material.

The ballast should only be heavy enough to cause the hull (without gas)to sink slowly. In other words, the negative buoyancy to be overcome isnot very great. The position of the ballast fore and aft is importantwith relation to the buoyancy of tank 5 and the hull and it must be soadjusted that the vessel will float at the surface or rest on the bottomon an even keel, but it must be capable of being easily tilted bow-up orbow-down.

In the practical embodiment of the invention which I have constructedand successfully tested the top of the tank 5 at its after end is levelwith the water line, while at its fore end the top 9 is one centimeterabove the water line. The tank 5, as before stated, is open at thebottom and extends down to the upper edge of the ballast bar 4. Thesides 8 slope inward toward the bottom to accommodate the shape of thehull. The tank 5 is six centimeters long, two and one-half centimeterswide at the water line and one and one-half centimeters wide at thebottom. It has a capacity of approximately fifty-seven cubic centimetersdown to a point at which gas will be discharged through the invertedsiphon I 9, 2|, 20.

The tank I6, which is attached to the after end of tank 5, is open atthe bottom (as before stated) and its top at the fore end is level withthe deck line (about six millimeters above the water line). The sides ofthe tank I6 fit loosely the usual inside curve of the hull. The top I 8slopes downward toward the stern for a distance of seven and one-halfcentimeters at an angle of fifteen degrees to meet the bottom edge ofthe sides close to the stern. At this point the hull I is excavated tomake room for the end of the tank I6, This tank has a capacity of abouttwenty cubic centimeters (about two-thirds of an ounce).

The tank 5 is intermittently connected to tank I6 by the invertedsiphon, which begins at a point close to the top of the tank 5, followsdown the after wall I to near the bottom where it pierces the after wallI at a point so that the lower edge of the bend ZI is about one-halfcentimeter above the bottom of tank 5. The siphon then slopes at anangle of about forty-five degrees upward toward the stern and ends justbelow the lower edge of tank I6. While the member I9, M, 20 has theshape of an inverted siphon, it does not operate strictly as a siphonbecause, on even keel, the outlet is lower than with full tanks,

the inlet. This is the reverse of what would obtain in a true invertedsiphon. The siphon is ordinarily filled with water. It begins to operatewhen gas reaches the lowest part 2I. Gas then flows along the ascendinglimb to the outlet, displacing the water contained in the siphon. Withgas forcing down the water level inside tank 5, the siphon begins tooperate at first as an inverted siphon because this water level is wellbelow the outlet. As the water level in tank 5 rises, the siphoncontinues to operate because gas in tank 5 is under slight pressure.Discharge of gas through the siphon continues until the water level intank 5 reaches the inlet of the siphon. At this time the siphon becomesfilled with water, which acts as a valve to stop the flow of gas andallows gas to re-accumulate in tank 5.

During this operation nearly two ounces of buoyancy has been removedfrom the forward tank 5. Two-thirds ounce of buoyancy has been added tothe after tank I6. The tendency is to tip the bow downward at the sametime that the submarine begins to sink from lack of buoyancy.

The gas generator operates nearly, but not quite, on the principle ofthe Kipp generator. The gas generator I3 consists of a tube ofperforated metal (see Fig. 1). This tube is closed at the bottom andserves to receive the fuel from which gas is generated. This generatoris introduced through the tapered collar soldered at an opening(hereinbefore mentioned) to the top of tank 5 near its forward end. Thiscollar fits a standard cork which is two and one-half centimeters long,two centimeters across its larger end and which tapers toward a pointtwelve centimeters from its larger end. The generator I 3 may he slippedover the spring skirt I2 after the generator is filled with fuel. Thecork thus serves to close the opening in tank 5 and to hold thegenerator in position in the tank.

The rate at which gas is generated depends upon the depth to which thegenerator is immersed in water. It must not, however, like the Kippgenerator, cease to form gas entirely. If no gas at all is generated atany point of the cycle, the submarine will cease to operate and willremain motionless either at the surface or resting at the bottom.Therefore some gas must be formed even at the lowest point of activityof the generator. This is accomplished by providing that the fuel shallfall downward in the generator as fuel at the bottom is consumed. Thisfuel which falls down comes in Contact with the wet sides of thegenerator and with water in the tank even at the lowest level of waterin tank 5.

Formation of gas is most active when the submarine is at the bottom withempty tanks. Gas generation is at its lowest when the submarine, isfloating at the surface and about to dive.

Any gas used in a toy submarine must be odorless, non-poisonous,non-explosive, and cheap. Carbon dioxide seems to be the only gas whichfulfills these requirements. produced by chemical reaction of tartaricacid and sodium bicarbonate. In my experiments I have made use of amixture of powdered tartaric acid and sodium bicarbonate inapproximately equal parts. Any excess of one or the other would be of noimportance, since such excess would pass into solution in the water inwhich the submarine swims. However, if such a mixture were kept for use,dampness of the air would cause slow It can be cheaply reaction anddeterioration of the fuel. In practice, separate tablets I4, H) of thetwo substances may be used, of ten-grain size. These would be placedalternately in the generator on top of each other until the generator isfull. One sort of tablet may be colored pink or blue and the other leftwhite, so that they can be distinguished from each other. They may behard-pressed tablets (CT) which would not break down too rapidly inwater, and they should not be coated. Both kinds of tables should haveadded to the other ingredient, ten grains of quinine bisulphate to theounce. This for the following reasons:-

First, quinine bisulphate, which is freely soluble in water, istherefore much more bitter than the common sulphate.

Secondly, children might mistake the tablets for candy. While thesetablets are in no sense poisonous, they would cause excessive amounts ofgas if swallowed. The bitter taste would discourage children fromplacing them in their mouths.

Thirdly, adults are certain to wonder what the fuel is which operatesthe submarine. Many of them would attempt an assay by the tongue. Amysterious bitter taste would add to the psychological effect.

If it is desired to refill the generator after the boat has finished oneseries of dives, the generator must be thoroughly dried. Fuel placed ina wet generator will be partly consumed before the submarine can beplaced in the water.

7 By referring now to Figs. 6 to 11 inclusive, the cycle of operationwill become clear.

Fig. 6 shows the tanks when the submarine is submerged, resting on aneven keel on the bottom. Tank 5, after being completely emptied, isbeginning to refill. Gas is generating actively. It will be noted thatthere is more gas in the forward end of tank 5 than in the after end,tending to lift the bow of the submarine first.

Fig. '7: Moregas has been formed and the submarine has come to thesurface, but not yet up to its water-line. Gas generation has becomeslower.

Fig. 8: Tank 5 is full of gas and the submarine is riding at its highestabove the surface. Gas has reached the lower bend 2! of the siphon tube.It has displaced the water in the ascending limb 20 and is beingdischarged from the outlet end of the siphon. From this outlet the gasflows upward into tank l6 where it is being stored. It will be notedthat with the submarine up to the waterline, the forward peak of tank itis above the water-line, that is, above the surface of the water. Thispart of the tank, therefore, has no lifting power until the submarinebegins to submerge. This fact allows the submarine, with gas collectingin the peak of tank It, still to remain on an even keel. Gas continuesto be taken from tank 5, decreasing the buoyancy of the bow, and to bestored in tank I6, increasing the buoyancy of the stern.

Fig. 9: At this point tank I6 has become completely filled and exertsconsiderable lifting power to overcome the buoyancy of the bow which issomewhat reduced. The stern begins to rise and the bow to be depressed.As this occurs, as shown by Fig. 9, gas flows from the forward to theafter end of tank 5, still further reducing the buoyancy of the bow. Thecenter of buoyancy has shifted toward the stern. It will be noted thatalthough the top of tank 5 is now parallel with the surface, the top oftank l6 still slopes. Therefore tank I6 is still able to retain gas andhelp lift the stern.

Fig. 10: The submarine is going down. As its keel reaches an inclinationof fifteen degrees, tank I'B dumps its gas and the submarine dives in ashower of bubbles.

Fig. 11: The lift of the gas in tank It having been removed, the weightof that tank tends to depress the stern and return the boat toan evenkeel. This movement is helped by the little gas remaining in tank 5flowing to the forward peak of that tank, owing to the slope of its top.This further tends to lift the bow.

As the submarine assumes an even keel and the gas flows to the forwardend of tank 5, the water level rises at the after end of tank 5. Thiswater level reaches the upper end of leg IS, the inlet of the invertedsiphon. Water flows into the siphon, acting as a valve to stop thedischarge of gas. Gas generation is now at its most active stage andtank 5 is being refilled, preparatory to raising the submarine to thesurface.

By locating the ballast i at a lower level, a rubber band motor may beused in slot 3 above bar 4 and provided with a propeller if desired.

While I have disclosed the preferred embodiment of my invention and havedescribed the same in detail, I wish it understood that changes in thedetails of construction and arrangement of parts may be made by thoseskilled in the art without departing from the spirit of the invention orthe appended claims.

From the foregoing description, taken in connection with theaccompanying drawings, it is thought that the construction, operationand advantages of my invention will be clear to those skilled in the artto which it relates.

What I claim is:

1. A diving toy comprising a hull, at least two buoyancy tanks, aninverted siphon connecting said tanks, and a gas generator in one ofsaid tanks, said tanks and said siphon being constructed to transfer gasfrom the tank containing the generator at predetermined intervals to theother tank to shift the center of buoyancy aft until the gas shall havebeen siphoned out of the first tank into said other tank and spilledfrom the same.

2. In a diving toy, a hull having an opening so that it may becomewater-logged, a fore and an aft buoyancy tank, means in the fore tankcontinuously generating gas to fill the tank, and means to transfer thegas from the fore tank to the aft tank at intervals, said tanks havingprovision cooperating with the gas for shifting the center of buoyancyfrom fore to aft and back again accordingly as gas is passing throughthe gas transferring means or not.

3. In a diving toy, a hull, a gas generator, fore and aft buoyancytanks, and means for trapping in and releasing gas from said tanksalternately to increase and decrease buoyancy of the vessel and cause itto dive and ascend alternately.

4. In a diving toy, a hull, a gas generator, fore and aft buoyancytanks, and means for trapping in and-releasing gas from. said tanksalternately to increase and decrease buoyancy of the vessel and to shiftthe center of buoyancy aft and fore alternately to nose the vessel downwhen submerging and up when rising to the surface.

5. A diving toy, comprising a hollow hull of buoyant material and havinga hole in its bottom so that it may become water-logged, a main buoyancytank open at the bottom. and an auxiliary buoyancy tank open at thebottom and aft of the main tank, ballast means carried by the hull totrim the vessel, a gas generator in said main buoyancy tank, and aninverted siphon to effect communication between said tanks, the inlet ofthe siphon being adjacent the after end of the main tank and below thewater-line and the outlet of the siphon being located beneath thewater-line and beneath the auxiliary tank to discharge gas into thesame.

6. A diving toy, comprising a hollow hull of buoyant material and havinga hole in its bottom so it may become water-logged, a main buoyancy tankopen at the bottom and an auxiliary buoyancy tank open at the bottom andaft of the main tank, ballast means carried by the hull to trim thevessel, a gas generator in said main buoyancy tank, and an invertedsiphon to effect communication between said tanks, the inlet of thesiphon being adjacent the after end of the main tank and below thewater-line and the outlet of the siphon being located beneath thewater-line and beneath the auxiliary tank to discharge gas into thesame, the top of said main tank being forwardly-upwardly inclined fromits rear end and the top of said auxiliary tank beingdownwardly-rearwardly inclined from its front end.

'7. A diving toy, comprising a hollow hull of buoyant material andhaving a hole in its bottom so it may become water-logged, a main buoylancy tank open at the bottom, and an auxiliary buoyancy tank open at thebottom and aft of the main tank, ballast means carried by the hull totrim the vessel, a gas generator in said main buoyancy tank, and aninverted siphon to effect communication between said tanks, the inlet ofthe siphon being adjacent the after end of the main tank and below thewater-line and the outlet of the siphon being located beneath theWaterline and beneath the auxiliary tank to discharge gas into the same,the top of said main tank being forwardly-upwardly inclined from itsrear end and the top of said auxiliary tank being downwardly-rearwardlyinclined from its front end, the fore end of said auxiliary tankterminating above the water-line and the rear end of said main tankterminating at the water-line.

8. A diving toy, comprising a hollow hull of buoyant material and havinga hole in its bottom so it may become water-logged, a main buoyancy tankopen at the bottom and an auxiliary buoyancy tank open at the bottom andaft of the main tank, ballast means carried by the hull to trim thevessel, a gas generator in said main buoyancy tank, and an invertedsiphon to effect communication between said tanks, the inlet of thesiphon being adjacent the after end of the main tank and below thewater-line and the outlet of the siphon being located beneath thewaterline and beneath the auxiliary tank to discharge gas into the same,the top of said main tank being forwardly-upwardly inclined from itsrear end and the top of said auxiliary tank being downwardly-rearwardlyinclined from its front end,

the fore end of said auxiliary tank terminating above the water-line andthe rear end of said main tank terminating at the water-line, the foreend of said main tank terminating above the water-line and above thelevel of the fore end of the auxiliary tank.

9. A diving toy, comprising a hollow hull of buoyant material and havinga hole in its bottom so it may become water-logged, a main buoyancy tankopen at the bottom and an auxiliary buoyancy tank open at the bottom andaft of the main tank, ballast means carried by the hull to trim thevessel, a gas generator in said main buoyancy tank, and an invertedsiphon to eifect communication between said tanks, the inlet of thesiphon being adjacent the after end of the main tank and below thewater-line and the outlet of the siphon being located beneath thewaterline and beneath the auxiliary tank to discharge gas into the same,the top of said main tank being forwardly-upwardly inclined from itsrear end and the top of said auxiliary tank being downwardly-rearwardlyinclined from its front end, the inclination of the top of the auxiliarytank being greater in degree than that of the main tank so that indiving when the top of the main tank assumes a position parallel withthe water surface the top of the auxiliary tank will still be somewhatinclined.

10. In a diving toy, a hull having an opening so that it may becomewater-logged, a fore and and aft buoyancy tank, means in the fore tankcontinuously generating gas to fill the tank, and means to transfer thegas from the fore tank to the aft tank at intervals, said tanks havingprovision cooperating with the gas for shifting the center of buoyancyfrom fore to aft and back again accordingly as gas is passing throughthe siphon or not, said gas generator comprising a foraminous tube,means to hold it rigidly in place in the fore buoyancy tank, andgas-forming materials in said tube designed to gravitate downwardly asthey are consumed upon contact with water in the fore tank.

11. In a diving toy, a hull, a gas generator, fore and aft buoyancytanks, means for trapping in and releasing gas from said tanksalternately to increase and decrease buoyancy of the vessel, said gasgenerator comprising a foraminous tube, means to hold it rigidly inplace in the fore buoyancy tank, and gas-forming materials in said tubedesigned to gravitate downwardly as they are consumed upon contact withWater in the fore tank.

12. In a diving toy, a hull, a gas generator, fore and aft buoyancytanks, means for trapping in and releasing gas from said tanksalternately to increase and descrease buoyancy of the vessel, said foretank having a hole in its top surrounded by a collar, a cork fitting insaid collar to close said hole, and means carried by said cork forsuspending said gas generator within said fore tank.

AMOS D. ELLSWORTI-I.

